


Tightrope

by shapesintheclouds26



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:20:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29924367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shapesintheclouds26/pseuds/shapesintheclouds26
Summary: something told me it was youa collection of oneshots about Miguel and Sam from Cobra Kai simply because I adore them together.
Relationships: Miguel Diaz/Samantha LaRusso
Comments: 16
Kudos: 19





	1. hospital

**Author's Note:**

> hi! i just got on ao3 after someone from ff said i should haha. this was originally posted on fanfiction.net as well as wattpad, so you can find me on there as well! hope you enjoy :)

"I'm pretty sure you've done enough, princess."

Hawk's words were like a jab to her gut when she visited Miguel at the hospital, and she peered into the room then, watching as Hawk brushed past her to greet Miguel enthusiastically. She turned away, letting them be, but his words echoed in her mind. As harsh as they were, part of her had to admit he had a point. Her chest had been weighing with guilt over what happened for a while now, and it all came to the surface once she saw him in the hospital bed.

She decided then that this wouldn't be the last time she came to visit him. She had to make things right some way, and the least she could do was be there to support him before his surgery.

So she came back the next day after school, her laptop in tow. She hesitated outside his door for a moment, suddenly feeling nervous, but she pushed her feelings aside. He was more important right now.

"Hey," she greeted shyly as she stepped in, and Miguel turned his head, his expression perking up almost instantly.

"Hey," he said to her, a smile forming on his face. "You're back."

"Yeah," she replied, clutching her computer. "I hope that's okay."

"Yeah," he assured her, and she smiled. He nodded to her laptop. "Why do you have your computer?"

"Um..." She made her way around to the side of his bed. "I thought maybe we could watch a movie, or something."

"A movie?"

"Unless you're busy," she retreated, "or wanna be alone. I totally understand." She moved to take a step back.

"No, no," he responded fast, grabbing her wrist to stop her. She glanced at where his hand touched hers, and he removed it just as quickly.

"I mean, yeah," he cleared his throat. "I'm not busy. A movie sounds cool." She pressed her lips together into a smile.

"Okay," she nodded, before glancing around the room for a chair, and with her luck, there wasn't. She sucked her teeth.

"Maybe there's a chair outside," she said. "Let me go check-"

"Or you could just sit here." He gestured to a spot on the bed beside him, and she met his gaze, her expression slightly surprised. He realized how his suggestion might have sounded, and he shook his head.

"Only if you're comfortable with that," he added, "it doesn't really matter."

"Are you comfortable with that?" He looked at her and saw she was more concerned than anything, realizing she was talking about his physical situation instead.

"It's fine," he assured her, "really." She was still hesitant, but caved eventually, moving carefully to sit by him on the bed. He shifted a little, as much as he could using just his upper body, giving her more room. Once they were settled, she leaned back against the headboard, placing her laptop onto her lap and turning it on.

"So what movie are we watching?" he asked her then.

"Do you have something in mind?"

"Anything would be better than the soaps that play on the TV here," he told her, and she laughed.

"I think I have an idea," she said then, queuing something up, and the opener began.

"Thor Ragnarok?" He turned to face her. "You're into Marvel?"

"Yeah," she responded like it was obvious. "Who isn't?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Wow, okay," he said, leaning back. "Why this one?"

"Well..."

"Let me guess. Chris Hemsworth?" She gave him a cheeky grin, and he rolled his eyes.

"Gotcha." Nonetheless, he was happy to watch any Marvel movie. But if he was being honest, it wouldn't have mattered what movie she picked. He was just happy she was there.

Sam showed up the next day, around the same time, and by the look on Miguel's face when she came into his room, she could tell he was happy to see her.

"What movie are we watching today?" he asked once she came over to the side of his bed. She grinned as she took her backpack off, zipping it open.

"I brought a game instead," she responded, and he raised his eyebrows. She pulled out a chessboard, and she laughed as his eyes widened.

"Dude," he shook his head, "I'm the king of chess, okay? You don't know what you're walking into." He cleared his little table, and she placed the board on top of it.

"Oh, really?" she challenged, settling by the foot of his bed to face him and crossing her legs in a pretzel formation. "Well maybe you're just saying that because you've never had me as an opponent. I happen to be pretty good myself."

"I don't know, Sam, I think you'll be surprised. My Yaya is the actual goat at chess, and she taught me all her moves." She chuckled as they set the pieces up.

"I guess we'll find out, then." They met each other's gazes, and she sent him a playful wink.

Miguel scoffed. "Oh, it's on."

The following day, she didn't bring her laptop or a game, and Miguel groaned when she began pulling out her notebooks. Sam laughed.

"I have a test tomorrow, okay?" she told him. "Help me study." Miguel scoffed.

"Yeah, like you need my help to study."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't have passed that test on pig anatomy if it weren't for you." He smiled then, reminiscing on the first time they ever really spoke to each other.

"Fine," he gave in, "let's help you study for-" he snatched the book from her hands, making a face of disgust once he read the label, "-AP bio? That's gross, Sam." She snatched her notebook back, slapping it playfully against his arm, and he raised his hands defensively.

After spending what they deemed a substantial amount of time studying, the two had gotten distracted, and began playing drawing games in Sam's notebook instead. Her pages were covered in tic-tac-toe grids and several rounds of hangman, and now she held her notebook close to her face as he did the same with another one of her books. They were drawing each other.

"Ta-da," she said then, turning her finished project in his direction. It was important to note then that neither of them were artists whatsoever. He laughed, grabbing the drawing to take a closer look.

"Wow," he responded. "Okay, wait, my chin isn't that long."

"I might have gotten a little carried away," she admitted then, and he chuckled. "But honestly-" she took the drawing back, holding it beside his face, "-I think it's pretty spot on." He narrowed his eyebrows.

"Should I be offended?"

"Maybe." And they both laughed.

"Let me see yours." She leaned forward to take his drawing from his hands, and she peered at it closely.

"Miguel."

"Yes?"

"Why do I have ten arms and two heads?"

"What?" She moved to show him what she was referring to. "No, that's Señor Octopus. You're holding him." She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Look," he pointed, "that's his head. And those are his tentacles." Her confused expression slowly changed to one of understanding as she raised her eyebrows.

"Oh," she said then, "I think I see it."

"It's so obvious," he defended. She tilted her head.

"That's debatable," and he shook his head, chuckling.

"But I'll give you points for including Señor Octopus," she offered. "Nice touch."

"Right? Thank you." She laughed before peering out the window, seeing that the sun had started to set.

"I should probably get going," she said then, standing up. Miguel sighed.

"Yeah, it's getting late," he agreed, watching as she packed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Same time tomorrow?" She met his gaze with a smile, nodding.

Sam continued to visit him everyday, bringing something to do each time. Some days they'd watch a show or movie, other days she'd bring a game to play. Sometimes they'd simply pass the time talking, and Miguel enjoyed each and every one of her visits.

This time, she seated herself beside him on the bed, and they leaned back against the headboard as she logged onto her laptop.

"What are we watching?" he asked her.

"You can pick," she offered, moving the screen towards him. He pondered for a moment, before settling on The Office.

"I love The Office!" she exclaimed as he began an episode. "I've watched the whole series like three times."

"Probably the best show of all time, if I'm being honest," he told her, and she hummed in agreement. They watched several episodes to pass the time, speaking minimally, but it was comfortable as they enjoyed each other's company. After a while, their eyelids began to flutter, and Sam yawned. Soon enough, they drifted to sleep, and Sam's head fell onto his shoulder, while his cheek rested against her hair. The two remained in that position for a while, as the show continued to play quietly on her laptop. Neither would realize how much time had passed until they woke up.

Later, the nurse walked in with her tools to measure Miguel's vital signs, and Sam began to stir awake.

"Sorry, honey," the nurse apologized gently. "Visiting hours are over. You can come back tomorrow." Sam squinted at her for a moment, her eyes still heavy with sleep, before taking a glance around the room, remembering where she was. Her eyes widened once she peered out the window and saw it was completely dark out. She lifted her wrist to glance at her watch, only to see that it was almost 10pm, and she had a dozen missed calls from her mom.

"Shit," she mumbled under her breath, and she felt Miguel begin to stir awake against her. That's when she realized the position they were in, and she quickly but gently lifted her head from his shoulder, getting up from the bed.

"Sam," he spoke then, his voice raspy with sleep. "What time is it?"

"Late," she whispered simply, hastily tucking her laptop into her bag. She felt her heart fluttering a little more than usual, and she wondered if he'd realized how they were sleeping before she got up. The nurse approached Miguel then, preparing her tools as he rubbed his eye.

"I'll be back tomorrow," she told him then, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "You should rest." She gave the nurse a faint smile before walking over to the door.

"Sam," he called to her, and she turned around.

"Goodnight," he said simply, and she smiled.

"Goodnight."

As she made her way out the door, she vaguely heard the nurse mention to him how soon his surgery was, and that's when it hit her: Miguel was going to have surgery in two days. Where had the time gone? She knew it was soon, but she hadn't realized how soon. Everything felt different then, and she started to feel nervous. What if something went wrong? What if it didn't work?

She shut her eyes tightly as soon as the thought entered her mind, shaking her head as she stepped into her car. She couldn't be thinking like that. Or at least, she couldn't let him know she was thinking like that. She wanted to be strong for him; she was supposed to be his support right now, not the other way around.

As nervous as she was, she'd have to pretend she wasn't.

She came by late Thursday afternoon right after school, as per usual, and she mustered up a smile before coming into his room.

"Hey- oh," she let out once she saw he wasn't alone. Miguel was surrounded by his mom and grandmother, and she counted three other people in medical uniforms as well. They all turned to her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly, stepping out. "I'll come back later." His mom gave her a faint smile to which she returned, but Miguel barely glanced in her direction. His eyebrows were knitted together, expressing concern, as his gaze remained fixated on the floor. She frowned slightly, but shut the door behind her, moving to sit in a chair nearby outside his room.

Sam let out a long breath she didn't realize she was holding until then, leaning forward in her chair to prop her elbow up on her knee, her chin resting against her fist. She thought about the looks on the faces of all those people in his room, wondering what had him so worried. Was something wrong?

She only let the thought float in her head for a moment before blinking it away. They were probably just preparing him for the surgery tomorrow. Nothing to worry about.

She glanced around her surroundings then, taking note of all the other people in the hallway she was in. Nurses were flowing in and out of different rooms, pushing carts full of tools she couldn't name half of. She saw there were other people sitting outside rooms, too, people like her, she imagined. But then she noticed one girl in particular, who just ran out of the hospital room she was in, before sinking to the floor. She was crying intensely, and another woman came out of that room soon after her, crouching to the ground to hold her as she crumbled emotionally. Sam felt her heart break at the sight, not wanting to imagine what must've happened to earn such a reaction out of her.

She couldn't help but think about Miguel then: the state he was in, the stakes of the surgery, how he got to this point, and how maybe if she'd done certain things differently, this wouldn't have happened, and before she knew it, her cheeks were wet, tears spilling down her face. She covered her face in her hands, letting herself cry for this moment she had alone.

She must've stayed like that for a while, because she didn't realize when the doctors left his room, and soon after, his mom and grandmother. She felt a hand on her shoulder then, and she looked up to see Miguel's mom. She hastily wiped her tears away, while his mom sat in the chair beside her. Sam turned to face her, and she could tell she was trying to appear strong for the both of them when in reality, she was even more worried about the surgery than Sam was. Still, his mom placed a comforting hand on her knee.

"It's going to be okay, honey," Carmen told her, and Sam shook her head.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Diaz," Sam apologized through a sob.

"Don't worry, it's not your fault."

"It is," she responded. "If it wasn't because of me, he wouldn't be in this mess to begin with." Carmen pressed her lips together before making Sam face her.

"I would never put the blame on you for what happened, Samantha," she told her sternly. "And neither would Miguel."

"I wouldn't blame him if he did."

"Are you kidding? You've been the one person that's been able to make him feel the closest to his old self throughout all this. Before you started visiting him, he didn't even want to wake up for breakfast. You gave him something to look forward to. All he talks about is you and how much fun you guys have. I'm so grateful that I got to get a glimpse of my son again, in spite of the circumstances. And it's because of you." Sam listened intently, and she felt like her heart could soar.

"Really?" she breathed, feeling at a loss for words. Carmen nodded.

"Is he okay?" Sam asked then. "He seemed off when I stepped in earlier."

"He's just worried, as we all are," she explained, "but also frustrated. He wouldn't talk much today, or eat much of his food. I think he's just afraid of, well, you know..." Carmen looked away then, trying to control her emotions that threatened to rise to the surface.

"I'm worried, too," Sam admitted then. "But I told him before: if anyone were to beat the odds, it's him." Carmen returned her gaze, pressing her lips together in a tight smile.

"You can see him now," Carmen told her then. "The doctors left."

"Are you sure he doesn't want to be alone?" Sam asked her, and Carmen shook her head.

"He's been waiting to see you all day." She gestured towards his room then, and Sam felt herself blush slightly, a smile forming on her face. She mouthed a thank you to Carmen, to which she returned with a smile, before standing up from her chair.

Sam made the few steps over towards his door, pausing briefly to make sure she'd wiped her tears away and to take a deep breath. She felt more nervous now than before, knowing that Miguel had told his mom about her. She didn't know exactly where they stood following the school fight, but what she did know, was that at this very moment, she wanted to be with him.

"Hey," she greeted him simply as she stepped in, shutting the door carefully behind her. He looked up to meet her eyes, giving her a tired smile before glancing back down to his lap. She bit her bottom lip nervously then, wondering how she should approach him. As she hesitatingly walked over to the side of his bed, she fiddled with her fingertips out of nervousness. She stopped once she reached his bedside.

"Sorry, I'm not really in the mood to watch a movie or anything right now," he told her, not moving his gaze from his lap. "You don't have to stay." But she knew from the way he spoke that he needed someone right now, he just didn't want to give it away.

She crawled into his bed then, much to his surprise, curling up into his side and resting her head against the front of his shoulder. He lifted his arm slightly to give her more room, but she gently pulled it back down, curling her hand around his bicep. She felt him tense up beside her, so she started rubbing circles against the skin of his arm, and gradually his breathing evened out, eventually falling in sync with her own. They remained in comfortable silence for a while, finding peace in each other's presence, until Miguel finally spoke.

"I'm scared, Sam," he admitted in almost a whisper.

"It's gonna be okay," she told him, repeating his mom's words. "They got you one of the best doctors in the country. And you're the strongest person I know. Nothing can go wrong."

"But what if it doesn't work?" he asked her. "What if I can never walk again?"

"It will work," she argued, then whispered more to herself, "it has to." He stopped responding then, and she thought that was all he'd say to her, until he spoke again.

"I just wish it never came to this." She felt her heart sink.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, "if I could go back in time, I would." He paused as he pondered her words.

"I don't blame you for this," he told her then, reading her mind.

"I don't understand why," she replied anyway. "If I didn't kiss you, Tory would've never gotten angry, and the fight wouldn't have even happened."

"I guess it did set her off," he responded after a moment, "but now that I think about it, I think she was just waiting for a reason to blame you for something. She'd been acting jealous all along, and I'm to blame for that. I mean, the whole reason we got together in the first place was so I could get over you." She sucked in a breath, feeling her heart start to race.

"Do you regret it?" she asked then, quietly.

"Regret what?"

"What happened at the party." He paused for a moment, thinking.

"Our timing was off," he admitted. "But no. I don't regret it." It was like her heart had stopped beating for a second, and she wondered if he could feel the effect he had on her. He couldn't see it, but a blush appeared across her cheeks. She turned slightly to look at him, and his gaze on her was tense but soft at the same time. She didn't realize when she started leaning in, their eyes on each other refusing to tear away, until he caved and glanced down at her lips, swallowing nervously. She was close enough then for their noses to be brushing slightly, and her eyes fluttered shut as she slowly closed the gap between them in a tender kiss.

It was a barely a kiss compared to the ones they've shared before. Their lips just grazed each other's, molding together for a short but sweet moment. But it still held so much more meaning than the rest, to the both of them. With everything that they'd gone through, and everything on the line, they each needed the other, and they felt that as they lay together in his hospital bed.

She pulled back slowly, just enough so that she could see him, and their eyelids fluttered open. His expression was soft as he gazed at her longingly, and the corners of her mouth tilted up in a smile.

"No one saw us this time, right?" he spoke lowly, and she laughed, hiding her face in his chest.

"Miguel!" He chuckled.

"Just checking," he joked, and glanced around the room for effect, "okay, I think we're good." She lifted her head, shaking it at him disapprovingly, before moving back to his side, laying against his shoulder. She took his hand that rested on his leg in her own, holding his fingers.

"I know you're scared for tomorrow," she said then. "But you don't need to be. Everything will be fine, and I'll be right here to see you when you're done." He smiled thoughtfully at her words, grazing his thumb over the back of her palm.

And she was there. Just like she said she would be.


	2. guilty

"Miguel, I'm so, so sorry," Sam apologized. He chuckled softly as she tended to the gash across his temple.

Sensei Lawrence had paired Miguel with Sam during karate practice that day, despite Mr. LaRusso's refusals. But when Sam confidently agreed, her father eased a little.

"I'll go easy on you," Miguel smirked, getting into his fighting stance.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she responded plainly, smirking back. Miguel raised his eyebrows, and almost as soon as Johnny had yelled for them to start, she swung her leg out, aiming for his chest, but instead, kicked him across the face. He was down in seconds, groaning while Sam stood frozen with her jaw dropped. The rest of the class was just as shocked as she was, and a few moments passed until Daniel suggested they take five.

She immediately took him to her room, letting him lay on her bed as she grabbed the first aid kit. Miguel couldn't help but smile as he watched her frantically try and get the cleaning solution together, as his face bled onto a paper towel. Once she got the materials together, she moved to sit next to him and started tending the gash.

She hadn't spoken a word to him as she worked on his cheek, guilt holding captive of her voice. All the while, Miguel simply watched her, admiration in his eyes.

"I'd probably hate me if I were you," she finally spoke.

"Hate you?" he repeated. "Never." She sighed as she met his gaze, a faint smile on his lips.

"I'm really sorry, Miguel," she apologized. "I meant to hit your chest. And not that hard." He chuckled in response.

"It's alright," he assured her. "What's a dojo without a little blood sometimes?"

"Not at Miyagi-Do," she responded, and he rolled his eyes playfully. As she continued to dab at his wound with the gauze, he flinched suddenly, and her eyes widened.

"Sorry," she whispered. "Does that hurt?"

"No, it's okay," he responded. "It's not that bad." She paused, knowing better from the strain in his voice, before going back into the kit and taking out a bandage.

"I feel awful, Miguel."

"Sam, it's okay," he laughed at her. "I should've saw it coming, anyway. You did warn me." She shook her head. Her expression remained distraught, and he tried to think of something to say to put her at ease, because he honestly didn't think it was a big deal. He'd been in his fair share of fights, and this didn't even come close to the worst of it.

But it'd probably still leave a mark for a while.

"Aren't you the one that said scars look tough?" he asked her then. She looked at him, pressing her lips together and smiling faintly.

"Not as tough as mine."

"Oh yeah, not even close." Sam smiled in response as she finished up, sealing the bandage across his temple.

"At least now it won't get infected, so hopefully it heals sooner rather than later," she spoke.

"Ah, yes, thank you, nurse...?" he started.

She laughed. "Samantha."

"Samantha? That's my girlfriend's name," he joked. She shook her head, a grin on her face, until she looked at the bandage on his cheek and felt guilty all over again.

"Miguel, I know I said this already but I really am sor-"

"Will you stop? I promise I don't even care, Sam. You could do it again and I still wouldn't care. 'Cause I know you didn't mean it." She watched him nervously, biting her lower lip. The truth was, the guilt she was feeling wasn't just from the accident at the dojo. She'd been feeling guilty for a long time now, about letting her rivalry with Tory get to where it did, being the reason behind the start of the school fight, letting Miguel get in the middle of it. In her mind, it all came down to her and her poor choices. And she knew she couldn't take all the blame, knowing Tory's tendencies and the current state of Cobra Kai. But that didn't erase her involvement in the feud, despite being unintentional.

She didn't want to get into it right then, yet she knew she'd have to have this conversation with him at some point.

But instead for now, she leaned forward, pressing her lips tenderly against the spot by his temple. She lingered for a moment longer before backing away just enough to nervously meet his eyes that were on her. She parted her lips to say something, but she couldn't find the words.

Thankfully, it didn't matter, because he reached forward to collide his lips with hers.

He leaned back onto the pillow, pulling her with him. She moved from her sitting position to hover above him, placing her hands around his neck while his slowly raised to grab hold of her waist. He moved his left hand to her back, holding her as he turned to be above her instead, barely breaking their kiss while doing so. She gasped slightly at the sudden contact between her back and the mattress, reaching up to gently grab his face. She was careful to avoid the bandaged spot on his temple, just barely grazing over it with her thumb. She felt him smile against her mouth then before parting to meet her again, kissing her feverishly, and she brought her hands up to tousle his hair.

"Are you guys almost- oh my God-"

The sound of Mr. LaRusso's voice jerked them apart, enough for Miguel to fall off the bed. He landed with a thud and groaned at the contact immediately after, while Sam remained frozen in embarrassment on her bed.

"Dad!"

"Sorry, again," he stuttered, "I'm sorry, just- hurry back, will you? That's enough of that."

"Dad, please-"

"Right, yeah, leaving-" and he hastily left, making sure to leave the door open. Sam pressed her fingers to her forehead in embarrassment as Miguel cleared his throat.

"Dude," he chuckled, getting up from the floor. "Your dad's timing is-"

"I know."


	3. the news is out

"Your mom?"

"Yes!" Miguel covered his face in his hands, plopping onto his girlfriend's bed.

Miguel had just opened the door to his home in Reseda when he stopped in the doorway at the sight of Johnny and his mom.

Kissing.

"What the hell?" he'd let out slowly, completely perplexed. The two had jumped apart quickly, and it was followed by a lot of "we didn't know how to tell you" and "we didn't expect this to happen."

Miguel had remained speechless for quite a while until Johnny had stepped forward.

"Listen son," he'd told him slowly. "I'm sorry. But I really am in love with Carmen." Miguel had met his gaze in disbelief. This was the same guy who had Googled 'hot babes' the first time he discovered the Internet and whose only way of flirting was bumping into chicks at a bar.

And he was in love with his mom?

"Miggy?" Carmen had asked him when he still didn't respond. "Are you okay?"

"I, uh," he stammered, shaking out of his thoughts and backing out the door. "I just need some air."

"Miguel-" he'd heard his Sensei call after him, but he had already shut the door, heading towards his bike.

He needed to talk to someone about what he just saw. So, of course, he headed to the LaRusso's.

And now he was laying face-down on his girlfriend's bed after filling her in, Sam's reaction mirroring his own as she stood above him.

"Are you sure they were kissing?" she asked then, and he lifted his head up enough to give her a look. She cringed in response.

"Yes, Sam, I know what I saw," he spoke into the pillow. She sat herself down on the edge of the bed by him, before laying down to face him.

"Miguel."

"Hmph."

She couldn't help but chuckle at his antics, and that's when he finally turned his head from the pillow to face her.

"Don't laugh," he told her. "It's not funny."

"But Miguel, come on," she tugged at his arm to get him to roll onto his back so she could see his face. "Didn't you say they were in love?"

"Allegedly," he corrected her. "That's what Sensei said, but-"

"They're probably really happy together," she finished. "Don't you want them to be happy?" He looked at her for a moment before facing the ceiling again with a sigh, and Sam turned to lay on her back as well.

"Of course, I do," he finally said, staring at the ceiling. "After everything, my mom deserves someone who'll love her unconditionally. And so does Sensei."

"Exactly."

"But did it have to be with each other?" he whined again. Sam rolled her eyes.

"What does it matter? They're happy! And you even said that he's already like a father figure to you."

"Key word: like! I never said I wanted him to adopt me!"

"He wouldn't be adopting you, he'd just be-"

"My step-dad?!" Sam met his incredulous gaze before he covered his face with his hands again.

"How do you even know they'll get married?" Sam interjected. "Maybe they'll break up."

"That's even worse, Sam," he replied. "Do you realize how awkward that'd be? And they'd definitely make me their little messenger boy. I don't need that."

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed. "Wow, this does feel really weird."

"See?" Miguel shifted to prop his elbow up, resting his head against his fist as he faced Sam. "The last thing I needed this year was more drama." Sam moved to mimic his position, facing him.

"I don't think it's such a bad thing, though."

"But we just established that however this works out will be weird."

"Yeah, at first. But you'll get used to it. You might even enjoy it, you know? Having your Sensei around more."

"I already see him enough," he chuckled, and she joined him. "But maybe you're right." Sam smiled at him.

Suddenly Miguel looked like his eyes were going to pop out of his head from a realization. He sat up quickly.

"What?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"If Sensei becomes my stepdad..." he started. "...that'd make Robby my..." Sam's reaction mirrored his again, her jaw dropping.

"Oh my god," she said amusedly, bursting into laughter. "You guys would be stepbrothers." Miguel sunk his face into her pillow again. 

"Sam, no," he whined. "This can't happen." She was still laughing.

"Stepbrothers!" she repeated, hauling back with laughter. He shook his head at her.

"Shut up!" he nudged her. "You're the worst."

"Okay I'm sorry," she apologized in between fits of laughter. "It's just, so, like, come on! Miguel you have to admit the situation is hilarious."

"Maybe if I wasn't involved."

"That's why it's so funny to me." He rolled his eyes at her until he raised his eyebrows.

"Well you would be involved too!" he told her then, nudging her as she looked at him confused. "'Cause if that happens, then when we get married, your ex is gonna be, like, your step brother-in-law, or something. So, ha." He laid back down onto his back victoriously as Sam simply stared at him, taken aback. His grin quickly faded as he came to another realization.

"I guess that's actually weird for me too, since, like, you dated him, and stuff," he spoke mindlessly. He looked off into thought for a moment, cringing at the idea, before turning to look at Sam, who had her lips pressed together in a smile.

"What?" he asked her then, confused by her expression.

"You said when." His eyebrows furrowed.

"Not if," she clarified, her teeth showing in her wide grin. And that's when he realized. He chuckled softly before rolling his eyes, turning so his back was to her. She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his torso from behind him.

"When we get married, huh?" she teased him, trying to get him to turn back to her. "You planning our wedding already, Miguel?"

"Whatever," he retorted. "That wasn't the point." Sam laughed.

He finally turned to face her.

"You shouldn't be so surprised, honestly," he said matter-of-factly, wrapping his arms around her. "I hope you realize you're stuck with me Sam. Like, for the rest of your life." She grinned up at him, reaching up to meet his lips with hers.

"That doesn't sound too bad."

"I hope you're still saying that after we're married."


	4. i love you

"Do you have to go now?" Sam dragged, holding onto her boyfriend's hand as he got up from the bed. Miguel smirked.

"I'm not trying to get another bruise from your dad," he replied. Sam snorted.

It was almost 10:00pm on a Thursday night, which meant Sam's parents were just about to close at the dealership for the night. She had invited Miguel over after school per usual, just to hang out, and with the knowledge of her parents, of course. What they didn't know was that he'd be staying after 8:00pm, which they had agreed on in conversation before.

Well, with her fingers crossed behind her back.

Which was why she kept her boyfriend over until the very last minute she could possibly get away with, but that didn't make the goodbye any easier. And she hated to seem like that couple, but there was something about her relationship with Miguel this time around. After witnessing his fall from the balcony and fighting with the possibility that she may never see him again, it certainly put things into perspective for her. Anything that may have seemed important to her before meant nothing now, and it was clear what really was.

And that was him.

"Fine," she replied, rolling her eyes playfully. "Only because I'd like to keep seeing you in one piece."

"So does that mean you wouldn't wanna be with me if I was back in a wheelchair and lost my legs?" he joked. Sam frowned.

"That's not funny."

"I'm just kidding."

"But don't say that," she said sternly. "I'm serious." Miguel smiled at her, tapping her cheek with his index finger as she stared up at him from her seat on the edge of the bed.

"You're right," he told her. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No."

"I can't leave while you're mad, Sam."

"I'm fine." Miguel chuckled at her before bending down to cup her face and kiss her. When they parted her lips twitched up into a smile, and the two laughed.

Just then, Miguel's phone chimed, signaling the alarm he set for 10:00pm so he'd leave on time. He was serious about her dad bruising him, by the way. Though it was during training, he could tell by the way Daniel had looked at him after that it was more than just a practice duel. And Miguel couldn't blame him; he was dating his only daughter. Again.

"I really should go," he turned then, heading towards her bedroom door. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Sam smiled. "Bye, I love you."

Miguel's foot was already in the doorway when he stopped after hearing her last words, and from his reaction Sam realized what she had just said. Her eyes instantly widened as he turned to face her again, their expressions mirroring in shock. After the moment of surprise left him, his lips instantly turned into a wide grin.

"Really?" he asked excitedly, walking back towards her. "Did you really just say that?"

"Oh, God," Sam rolled her eyes, covering her face with her hands to hide the blush forming on her cheeks. Miguel pulled her to her feet as she hid behind her hands, and he tried to tickle her to reveal her face.

"Say it again," he teased, poking at her sides and tugging at her wrists. "You have to."

"No," she laughed. When he finally freed her hands from her face, she gasped as he pulled her flush against him, looking straight down into her blue orbs. Their laughter died down as he searched them, as if asking if she really meant it. Sam felt herself nodding her head ever so slightly, and that was enough for him to press his lips against hers. He kissed her eagerly, his hands on either side of her face as her fingers latched onto them, trying to hold onto the moment as long as they possible could, until they had to part for air. He leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers, each wearing the same smile. She chuckled faintly and he did the same, grazing his thumbs across her cheeks.

"I love you, too," he said softly, and the grin on her face made him laugh. He repeated the three words in between pecking her face all over and she squirmed in his embrace, despite never wanting this moment to end.

Suddenly the sound of her dad's car horn rang out, quickly followed by the slam of the doors. Their eyes immediately widened, and they couldn't help but try to contain their laughter, still high on the milestone they just reached.

"You have to go!" Sam whispered to him.

"How? They'll see me going out the door!" he whispered back.

"Out the window!" She started leading him towards the other wall.

"What?!"

"It's the only way they won't see you!"

"What if I break my back again?"

"You'll be fine."

"Oh, so now it's funny." Sam giggled before pecking his lips once more, then slowly and quietly lifted the glass of her window.

"It's not that far down," she told him. "Don't worry." Miguel took one look out her window and rolled his eyes.

"Easy for you to say."

"Sam?" Her dad called to her then. "Are you in bed?"

"Go! Go!" Sam whispered in between fits of laughter, leading him out the window. Miguel swung one of his legs out, perching it above the small ledge he would use to help him down. He quickly got the rest of his body out, hanging onto her windowsill as he met the ledge with his other foot. He was about to jump the rest of the way down as she moved to close the window when he stopped.

"Wait," he spoke. She eyed him incredulously.

"What are you-" he leaned forward to kiss her again, and she smiled against him, resting her hand against his jawline.

"Say it again," he whispered to her. She rolled her eyes.

"I love you, Miguel."


	5. cuddles

After a long day of school and karate practice at the dojo, to say Miguel was tired was an understatement. With practice getting more and more intense leading up to the tournament, he was growing more and more exhausted with it. So though it was 8pm on a Friday night, all he wanted to do after his shower was go straight to bed.

But he also missed his girlfriend.

Sam hadn't been in school that day due to an emergency at the dealership both her parents had to take care of, and her little brother Anthony being sick. Under such short notice, her parents decided to let her skip school to watch Anthony, following her promises to catch up on any missing assignments while she was home.

In other words, Miguel didn't get to see her all day.

It didn't take long for him to reach her house on his bike, which surprised even him considering he was half asleep. He came straight from his shower after having thrown on a hoodie and a pair of sweats, and his hair was still a little damp. He laid his bike against the grass on her front lawn before ringing the doorbell. Within a few moments, she opened the door.

"Miguel?" she questioned, a smile instantly forming on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't see you all day," he told her like it was obvious, stepping forward to place his hands on her waist. "I missed you." She grinned up at him, leaning forward to place a kiss against his lips. She caught a whiff of the scent of his soap and shampoo, soaking him in.

"Your hair is still wet," she stated while touching his hair. "Did you just get out of the shower?" He nodded.

"Come on, it's cold," she tugged on his sleeve, pulling him inside and shutting the door.

"Your parents still out?" he asked her.

"Yeah, they said they'd be in late," she responded. "Something to do with Tom Cole again."

"Ah," he chuckled. "How's Anthony?"

As if on cue, her brother entered the living room, his signature game system in his hands with a blanket wrapped around his head and shoulders. He looked up for a split second, noticing Miguel, and his expression instantly lifted. The two had bonded really well once Sam started having Miguel over, and though she preferred his time at her house being spent with her, she loved watching her boyfriend bonding with her family.

"Miguel's here?" he turned to Sam excitedly. "Can we play Mortal Kombat?"

"Mom said you should be asleep by now," Sam told him. "Go to bed. You can play Mortal Kombat tomorrow." Anthony immediately groaned as Miguel laughed.

"Sorry little bro," he apologized. "But you gotta get better first so it actually means something when I beat you." Anthony grinned.

"You're so dead tomorrow," he told Miguel, heading for his room.

"We'll see about that," Miguel called after him before turning back to Sam, who was leading him to her bedroom.

"I love how close you guys are getting," she turned to him then, opening the door. "It's really cute."

"Yeah?" he replied as he stepped in. "Well I gotta keep in good standing with the in-laws." He winked at her as she shut the door, and her smile immediately widened. They teased about their future a lot, even though they were still in high school. But any time he brought it up, it gave her butterflies just knowing he hoped they'd last. She did, too.

"I was just finishing up some homework," she told him as she started towards her desk. "Gimme a sec-"

"Nooo," he whined, pulling her to him from behind and wrapping his arms around her waist. He lazily slumped over her, resting his head against her shoulder, and she started to laugh.

"Do it tomorrow, it's a weekend."

"You're very touchy-feely today."

"Is that okay?" She turned her head slightly to look at him, still perched on her shoulder, smiling as she nodded.

"When did you say your parents would be home again?"

"Not for a few hours." Miguel let go of her and plopped onto her bed, laying on his back with his arms out, beckoning to her. Sam giggled.

"Come here," he told her, and she did. She laid against her side so she was facing him with a grin.

"Hi," she said simply. Miguel rolled his eyes before wrapping his arms around her torso and pulling her to him, making her lay on her back. He rested his head against her chest and she smiled, moving her hand to run her fingers through his hair soothingly. His black locks were mostly dry by then, but she still got wafts of his shampoo each time she combed through them. He sighed into her then, feeling like he could fall asleep in two seconds.

"So," he spoke lowly, his eyes closed. "Tell me about your day." Sam snorted.

"What, so you can be bored to sleep?" she joked. He chuckled lazily.

"No, I'm listening, I promise," he responded, yawning immediately after. She laughed.

"I'm glad you came over, but you should've gone to bed," she told him then. "You need sleep, Miguel."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to fall asleep. I'm just really tired, but I really wanted to see you." Sam sighed as his thumbs drew lazy circles over her waist.

"I wish you could sleep over," she said quietly. Miguel grinned with his eyes still closed.

"Someone's naughty."

"Not like that, stupid," she defended and he laughed. "I just feel bad 'cause you biked all the way over here and you're barely awake, but it's not like my dad's gonna be okay with you staying over even if we're not doing anything." She continued combing through his hair as he didn't say anything, and she wondered if he'd fallen asleep.

"Don't worry about me," he replied then, his voice raspy with sleep. "I'll get home fine. I biked here half asleep anyway." Sam chuckled. She lifted her free arm to check the time on her smartwatch: 8:42pm.

"Well since you're here, why don't you just take a nap? So you're not dead asleep biking home." Miguel turned his head slightly to look at her.

"But I thought you wanted to hang out," he responded. "Like watch a movie or something."

"You'd just fall asleep anyway," she laughed, tousling his hair. "It's okay, I'm a little tired, too."

"Are you sure?" he asked her, lacing their fingers together. "I kinda feel bad." She chuckled.

"I'm sure," she assured him, squeezing his hand. "I don't care what we're doing. I'm just glad you're here." Miguel's expression instantly lifted, and he leaned forward to peck her lips before getting comfortable again.

"Now that I know you're cool with naps, this is how our dates are gonna look from here on out."

"Nooo," she laughed. "Not all the time."

"Yes."

"No."

Miguel yawned then, feeling sleep come over him. He snuggled into her tighter as she continued raking her fingers through his hair. If this was how he could fall asleep every night, he could skip the melatonin.

"Wake me up before your dad comes home," he told her, "I don't want to get a heart attack." She chuckled softly before setting an alarm on her watch.

"You got it."


	6. yours

Miguel sped out of his last class of the day, walking the path to Sam's locker that he could probably follow with his eyes closed at this point. School that day was a drag, to say the least; he found himself glancing at the clock way too often, making time move even slower. But the final bell meant he could finally see her, and that made it worth it.

He turned the corner into the hallway that had her locker, where she'd normally be putting her books away. He smiled once he saw her, though her back was turned to him. He didn't notice she was talking to someone until he had taken another few steps forward, and that's when he saw the familiar build of a certain brown-haired enemy.

Robby.

The smile on his face quickly faded as he slowed his pace before stopping completely. How long had they been talking? The bell just rung, so it couldn't have been for long.

Why are they still talking?

Are they laughing? What the hell is so funny?

His mind immediately flashed back to the moment Robby kicked him off the balcony, and then the moment he saw him and Sam coming down the hill hand-in-hand. His pulse started to race, his fist clenching, and then just as quickly, Robby walked away, while Sam shut her locker and moved to lean against it, peering through the crowds of students filling the hallway.

She was looking for him.

Miguel swallowed hard, unclenching his fist and trying to mask his feelings before walking towards her. Sam noticed him when he was a few feet away, smiling instantly.

"Hey, you," she said cheerfully once he was in front of her, leaning forward to peck his lips. He greeted her back less than enthusiastically, and she read him almost instantly.

"What's wrong?" she asked him, grabbing hold of his hand. Miguel glanced at the ground, debating whether he should tell her he saw her with Robby.

But what he really wanted was for her to tell him herself.

"Uh, nothing," he responded, shaking his head. "Just, long day, I guess." Sam frowned. She started getting deja vu, and an uneasy feeling rose in her stomach. She knew how things went between them when they weren't honest with each other.

"Miguel," she spoke sadly, tugging at his arm. "Tell me." He met her gaze then, and she was giving him this look with her bright blue puppy dog eyes and he knew he couldn't just move past this. He sighed.

"How about," he started, intertwining their fingers together, "we get out of here. And talk about it at this burger place I know. I think you'd like it." Sam smiled.

After a short drive to the diner Johnny had introduced to him, they placed their orders at the front before Miguel led Sam to a table. He sat across from her, taking her hand in his over the table to mindlessly play with her fingers. She watched him curiously, playing along, while his gaze remained fixated on their hands- not her. The stress in her head downplayed the butterflies she got in her stomach, and she resisted the urge to move to his side of the booth and give him a hug in an attempt to erase whatever was keeping him so in his head. Though she wanted him to talk to her, she knew she couldn't pry it out of him. He'd have to tell her when he was ready.

A million different thoughts were running through his head as he twisted the rings around her fingers, taking them off and on again and again. Why hadn't she told him about her talk with Robby yet? Was she trying to keep it from him? Was there a secret? He couldn't help but feel threatened by him. He'd lost her to him before, what if Robby was trying to steal her back?

What if she wanted him to?

Miguel sighed, leaning back in his chair to finally look at her, only to see that she'd been watching him the entire time, concern written all over her face. Suddenly he felt guilty for even thinking she could do that to him. For not trusting her. She never gave him a reason not to, so why should he assume the worst?

He was about to speak when their orders were announced, and Sam moved in her chair to grab them.

"I got it," he said instead as he stood up, and she pressed her lips together. She watched as he picked up their milkshakes and fries when she remembered she actually had something she wanted to tell him.

"I forgot to tell you," she started when he got back. He looked at her as he sat down, his eyebrows raising. Please let it be what I want you to tell me.

"Yeah?" he asked in the best nonchalant voice he could muster.

"Robby came by my locker before you came," she told him while he held his breath. "He wanted to talk."

"About what?" he asked, sipping his milkshake.

"He was mostly just apologizing," she continued, "he said he felt bad about how everything went down and how things ended. But that he hopes there's no tension left or anything." Miguel listened intently, but he started to feel some of the tension leave his body.

"Did he apologize for shattering my spine a year ago?" he asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Not exactly," she admitted. "I think he feels bad about it. But that's probably something more between you and him, you know?" Miguel shrugged. He guessed that made sense. Now he'd be expecting a visit from Robby at his locker.

But why were they laughing?

"Did he, uh, say anything else?" he asked, peering into his milkshake and stirring with the straw.

"Not really," she responded, and his heart sunk a little. Robby for sure was flirting with her.

"Oh, actually," she chuckled, "he told me how he missed my dad and wanted me to ask him if they could hang out again. I thought that was funny." Miguel leaned back in his chair after hearing everything he needed to, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders.

"Huh," he let out in response, "I guess that's pretty cool of him." He had to admit, that was probably the last thing he expected Robby to say. But it definitely cleared his worries of what he thought he said, which would've been much worse.

"I was gonna tell you right after it happened, but once I saw you it completely skipped my mind," Sam said, and Miguel couldn't help but smile in response at the fact he made her forget about Robby. 

"So why were you so upset?" Sam finally asked. "Even though you look better already." He chuckled nervously, glancing down at the table and scratching the back of his head.

"It was actually about Robby," he admitted, and she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. He sighed before continuing. "I saw you guys at your locker, and I- I guess I just assumed the worst. I shouldn't have."

"What did you assume?" she asked him incredulously. He hesitated before responding.

"I don't really know," he answered, "I just got defensive. I thought maybe he was trying to steal you back."

"Steal me back? What, like I'm some kind of prize?"

"No, no," he shook his head, "that's not what I meant."

"Did you really think I'd go back to him that easily?" He looked at her sadly, and his lack of response was enough of an answer. She raised her eyebrows.

"Are you serious?" she asked him, letting out a laugh. "Miguel, that's crazy."

"I know, I know," he admitted. "You're right. And I trust you."

"Doesn't really sound like it." He could tell she was hurt from the way she spoke, her gaze now fixated on the contents of her milkshake. Miguel sighed.

"Look, Sam," he started, leaning forward. "You know I trust you. It's just- we've had such a good year so far. And I feel like it took a lot for us to get here, you know? And I know we both made mistakes in the past and everything, but every time I see him, I can't help but think about you two and how much it hurt when I found out you guys got together." Sam raised her gaze to look at him. He paused before continuing.

"I never told you this, but when we first dated, I showed up to your house one night. I wanted to introduce myself to your family." She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, wondering why this was the first time she was hearing about this.

"I saw Robby eating dinner with you guys," he told her. "And I remember just feeling so jealous and hurt that another guy had got to meet your family and I didn't, so I just went home." Sam met his gaze again, sadness in her eyes. So this was when it all started going downhill.

"I know I'm not perfect," he continued. "And I should've told you what I was thinking earlier. But when I saw you guys today, those feelings from that night just came rushing back, and I felt like I was losing you all over again." Sam frowned as he finished, pondering his words for a few moments before taking his hand.

"I'm not perfect either," she said then. "We've definitely made our fair share of mistakes, Miguel. And I can't change the past." He nodded slightly as she spoke.

"But what I can tell you," she continued, "is that I'm exactly where I want to be. With you." He pressed his lips together in a tight smile.

"Robby might've been my past, but you're my future. And I can't see that being with anyone else." His expression broke out into a wide grin then, and her smile mirrored his own.

"So you don't have to worry about that, okay?" She shook his hand gently. "I'm all yours." And that was all he needed to hear. He felt his heart bursting through his chest as he pulled her arm towards him.

"Come here," he told her, and she moved to his side of the booth where he wrapped her tightly in a hug, pressing a kiss into her hair. "Thank you," he mumbled softly, and she hummed in response against his chest.

"Our fries are definitely cold now," she stated then. Miguel laughed.

"Worth it."


	7. i choose you

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, and Sam was on her daily run through the park. She had started up running soon after the huge school fight, seeking a new physically-exerting escape during a period where karate only brought her guilt and bad flashbacks. Of course, she had gotten back to karate once she had confided in her father, and it was a must now that theirs and Johnny's dojo's had teamed up to defeat Kreese.

But going back to karate didn't stop her from going on her daily runs. Though karate would always be important to her, it was less of an escape than running was. While she ran, she wasn't worried about defending herself from an enemy or protecting herself from getting kicked in the face. Running gave her a chance to be alone, to clear her head, to make her feel in control of her body and surroundings. So she kept running everyday, and after each time she did, she felt more at peace with herself than when she started.

As she made her way around the park, she let her gaze fall towards the scenery as her music played through her headphones. She smiled to herself as she watched children laughing in the playground, old couples holding hands on benches, and dogs playing fetch with their owners. It was all very heartwarming to her, and she made a mental note to remember this image when she needed a peaceful reminder.

Until she glanced towards one couple sitting on a bench in particular, and hey, that guy's hair looks a lot like her boyfriend's, but that couldn't be him because why would he be with another girl, and a blonde girl at that, who had a strikingly similar figure to Tory's.

Sam slowed her pace, looking closely, only to realize that it was in fact Miguel and Tory sitting together on that bench. She stopped completely then, the smile on her face from before vanishing in almost an instant. She was a long means away from them, and they'd have to turn their heads to even catch a glimpse of her, so she let herself watch, despite how much her heart tugged her to look away.

There was no way she'd be able to hear them, but she pulled her headphones out anyway. She watched them intently, and by the looks on their faces, they seemed like they were having an intimate conversation. Sam felt her pulse racing loudly in her ears, adrenaline coursing through her in the worst possible way. Why were they alone together? How could he be talking to her like that after everything she did? And then, as if it couldn't have been worse, Sam watched Tory lean forward to lay her head against Miguel's shoulder, and he brought an arm up around her. Sam immediately felt like her heart had fallen into the pit of her stomach, tears welling in her eyes defensively. She jerked her gaze away from them then, feeling like she was intruding on something she clearly wasn't supposed to have seen, and she felt her breathing start to become uneven.

Sam shut her eyes, swallowing the lump that was beginning to form in her throat before attempting to take in a deep, controlled breath. She refused to shoot another glance their way, afraid that what'd she see would only be rubbing salt in her wounds. Instead, she plugged her headphones back into her ears and resumed her run, making her way out of the park and back to her house, with the image of Tory and Miguel on the bench in her mind the whole way home.

Sam hastily headed for the shower as soon as she stepped foot inside her house, and from the way she ignored her parents' calls to her from the kitchen, Daniel and Amanda could tell something was wrong. They each shrugged after looking to each other, expressing neither of them knew what it was that had her so upset.

Sam let her tears fall in the shower, running her hands through her hair as she tried to pull the image of the two out of her head. It was a hard pill to swallow- seeing her boyfriend so close with the girl who had brought her so much pain, physically and mentally. She felt hurt, betrayed, embarrassed. She kept remembering the moments she saw the two together, and the moments Tory had left her motionless in fear. Clearly, Miguel saw something in her that she didn't, and she wondered how a person could be portrayed in such contradicting ways.

Once she was out of the shower and dressed, she lay face down on her bed, sulking and hugging her pillow. Her phone started to buzz then, and she shifted her head towards her bed stand, picking up her phone.

Incoming Call: Miguel Diaz

She pressed the end call button, sending him to voicemail and placing her phone back on her bed stand. The last thing she wanted right now was to talk to Miguel on the phone while she cried.

Just then, her mom opened her bedroom door, and Sam turned her head on her pillow to face her.

"Hey, hon," her mom greeted her sympathetically, "is it okay if I come in?" Sam merely hummed in response before sniffling.

"Have you been crying?" her mom asked with concern in her voice, sitting down by the edge of her bed and resting her hand on her back.

"A little," she let out weakly.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Not really." Amanda sighed, pressing her lips together as she rubbed her daughter's back soothingly. Sam's phone began to vibrate again then, and Amanda glanced over to see Miguel as the caller ID.

"Are you going to get that?" she asked her. Sam shook her head, and Amanda realized then that something must've happened between the two. She nodded, continuing to rub her back as she tried to think of what to say. As she peered out the window, she got an idea.

"It's a beautiful day out," her mom told her. "Why don't you head out to the pool?"

"But I just took a shower."

"Well, you can at least lay in the sun. I know how much you enjoy the good weather." Sam turned her head, glancing out her window to see how sunny it still was. It was true, and she had been enjoying the sunny day, up until that moment in the park. She sighed.

"Fine," she agreed, sitting up. "But I'm keeping my clothes on and bringing a pillow." Amanda chuckled before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"I'm here if you want to talk, okay?" she reminded Sam, and she nodded, giving her a faint smile.

Sam had to admit, her mom was right about coming outside. Though she was still upset, sulking under the sun was somehow simultaneously uplifting, much more so than sulking in her bedroom. She laid on her back against a pool chair, resting her head against a pillow, and shut her eyes. They were still slightly puffy from crying, and all she wanted to do right in that moment was fall asleep, hoping to escape the nightmare that she felt was her reality right now.

"Sam," a voice suddenly spoke then, and she sat up in her chair to see Miguel entering her backyard.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"You weren't picking up my calls," he responded. "Didn't you get them?"

"My phone's not on me." It wasn't technically a lie. She left her phone in her room when she came down to the pool. She shifted her gaze away from him then.

"You should go," she said coldly. He narrowed his eyebrows.

"What?"

"Go, Miguel." She returned his gaze, and that's when he noticed the glossiness of her eyes. She was holding back tears.

"Whoa, wait," he approached her, "what's wrong?" She rolled her eyes, blinking back tears.

"Nothing," she denied, turning away again. "Please just go. It's not a good time." Miguel shook his head, making his way to sit on the pool chair beside her, facing her.

"Miguel, please-"

"Talk to me."

"I said it's not a good time."

"I'm not leaving you. Not like this." She watched his expression turn into worry, and she debated if she should just confront him now. If she was being honest, she wanted to hold off, feeling like the inevitable would be a break-up, and she wasn't ready for that.

"Please tell me what's wrong," he pleaded, and she realized then that she didn't know if she could handle seeing him like this again if they decided to talk later. She sighed, looking to her feet sprawled out in front of her, shuffling them.

"I saw you."

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"At the park." She turned to face him then, watching as his expression shifted from confusion to understanding. He swallowed, nodding slightly.

"With Tory," he added to clarify, and her silence was enough of an assurance. He sighed, shifting his gaze.

"It's not what you think, Sam."

"She had her head on your shoulder," she pressed, leaning forward slightly. "And I watched you wrap your arm around her." Her voice broke on the last few words, and he met her gaze, realizing how hurt she was feeling. He shook his head.

"Listen," he started. "I know what you saw must've looked bad. But you have to trust me when I say I'd never intentionally hurt you like that, Sam. Ever." She rolled her eyes.

"What could you possibly have had your arm around her for, then? Do you expect me to believe you were just being friendly with your crazy ex who sliced my arm and started the fight that put you in a wheelchair?" She looked at him in disbelief. He lowered his gaze, shaking his head.

"Sam, it really wasn't-"

"Do you think I'm stupid, or something?" she asked him incredulously.

"Tory's mom died," he said abruptly. The words were like a train that hit her, and Sam felt herself become at a loss for words.

"What?" she whispered then. "But, she was only sick-" Miguel shook his head solemnly. For the second time that day, Sam felt her heart sink to her stomach, guilt filling her chest.

"I wasn't expecting to meet with Tory," he told her. "She texted me a few times this morning, and I ignored the messages at first. But once I realized something was really wrong, I decided I should see her." Sam pressed her lips together.

"What you saw was the moment she told me that her mom had passed, a few days ago, actually. And then she kind of just fell onto me, and I was so in shock at the news. So I rubbed her back. I was just trying to console her," he explained.

"She said it'd gotten worse so quickly," he continued, "her mom's illness. The doctors had her on life support for a whole week before deciding to..." He couldn't finish, and Sam almost whimpered at his words, her heart breaking at the mere idea.

"I didn't realize how sick her mom was," she spoke quietly.

"Me neither," he replied. "And I'd never seen Tory like that before, you know? So... broken. I didn't even know what to say to her." Sam gulped, blinking back tears again, but for a different reason. At that moment, she pushed all her previous emotions about Tory aside, feeling only sympathy for her. Losing her mom sounded like the worst nightmare she could ever imagine, and it pained her to even think about not having her mom with her.

"I can't imagine what she must be going through," she whispered, and Miguel shook his head, agreeing.

"She asked me to come to the funeral," he told her then, scratching the back of his neck, "I hope that's okay."

"Of course," she said quickly. "She needs someone right now." She watched as he pressed his lips together, and the guilt in her chest felt like it was weighing into her stomach. She sucked her teeth slightly in frustration, bringing her hands up to her forehead.

"I feel so stupid," she said then, embarrassed. "I really thought-" she cut herself short, not wanting to admit it. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Miguel."

"No, it's okay, you didn't know-"

"But you were right, I should've trusted you," she interjected. "When I saw you two together I just assumed the worst, and I let my feelings about our rivalry cloud my judgment. I was wrong."

"You're not stupid," he assured her. "If I'd been in your shoes, I would've thought the same thing." He took her hand then, rubbing circles on the back of her palm with his thumb, and she moved her body to face him in her chair.

"I'm sorry for worrying you," he told her then, and Sam shook her head.

"I'm sorry for accusing you," she said instead. "You didn't deserve that. I just couldn't help but think back to all of our stupid fights, how it felt to see you two together while she and I were constantly at each others' necks. It was hard for me, having seen that side of her and still having to watch you be with her. I felt like she had you against me."

"But our rivalry aside," she continued, "she's still human, and I guess I forget that sometimes. You told me her mom was sick, and I didn't even think twice about how it might be affecting her. Instead I lashed out at you, and I'm really sorry." She broke from his gaze then, glancing down at their feet.

"Hey," he said to her gently, and she looked up as he brought her hand up to kiss her knuckles, giving her a faint smile.

"Look, you're completely valid in the way you were feeling. I know what it must've seemed like. And I know how much Tory's hurt you. That stuff doesn't just go away."

"I'd never want to put you in a situation where you feel like I'm on her side against yours," Miguel continued. "I still care about Tory, but that doesn't make what she did to you okay. It never will be. She hurt you, and I won't forget that."

"You don't have to worry about where I stand, okay? I'm always going to be on your side. I'm in love with you, Sam. You're everything to me. And I choose you. I'll always choose you."

Sam felt like her heart would burst through her chest after hearing his words, and she leaned forward, colliding her lips with his. She kissed him eagerly, her hands reaching up to hold his face, and he held the small of her back as she moved from her chair to his. He placed a hand on the chair behind him to steady them before leaning back against it and settling his hands on her hips as she straddled him. She grazed her fingers along his jawline, and for a moment she wondered if he could feel her heart thumping in her chest from how close they were.

Eventually they had to part for air, and she rested her forehead against his beneath her, the flushed grin on her face mirroring onto his as they caught their breath. He placed one last tender kiss against her lips, this one slower and sweeter than before, and she returned it just the same.

She leaned down then, moving to lay on top of him and resting her head against his chest, and he brought his arm around her, grazing her back soothingly.

"I don't know how I got so lucky," she spoke then, her voice quiet, "to have someone like you." Her index finger traced mindless shapes along his abdomen, and he hummed in content.

"Me neither," he responded, and they laughed. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Nah," he said then, squeezing her shoulder. "I'm the lucky one."


	8. anchor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> set during season 3, in which sam confides in miguel about her trauma

_WATCH YOUR BACK._

Sam stared at the note she held in her hands that was left hanging inside her locker. There were three parallel tears in it, and just from that Sam could tell who it was from without needing to see a signature. She impulsively touched her upper arm, where her scars from the fight were, and a shaky breath escaped from her mouth.

Sam was already on edge, so when she felt a pair of arms grab her from behind, she flinched, gasping in shock.

"Did I scare you?" Miguel spoke into her ear with a chuckle, snaking his arms around her waist to hug her tightly. Sam let out a sigh of relief at the sound of his voice, relaxing into his arms. She quickly crumpled the note in her hand, hiding it from him in her fist.

"A little," she responded, and he kissed her cheek. As he moved to detangle from her, she hastily tossed the crumpled paper into her locker before he could see it. She decided Miguel didn't need to know about the note Tory left her. It'd only make it a bigger deal than it needed to be. What were three words on a sheet of paper, anyway? She wouldn't call it a threat, because that would mean she felt threatened, and the last thing she needed was Tory to know she had her feeling uneasy. She shut her locker then, turning to face Miguel.

"I'm glad I caught you," he said, taking her hand. "The guys wanted to sneak away to In 'N Out for lunch. You wanna go?"

Sam mindlessly hummed in response, her focus geared towards the corner of the hallway instead of her boyfriend in front of her. She couldn't help but visualize Tory appearing, her threatening words echoing in her mind.

"Sam?" Miguel asked her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, of course," she responded, nodding her head as she laced their fingers together. Miguel looked at her quizzically.

"Are you okay?" he asked her then.

"Yeah," she replied a little too cheerfully. "Why wouldn't I be?" Miguel continued to look at her, his eyebrows furrowed, as if trying to read whatever was going on in her head.

"You sure? We can grab lunch ourselves if you want, you know." 

"No, we don't have- yes, I'm sure." She swung their hands around playfully, trying her best to seem convincing, but his expression continued to relay concern.

"I don't know, you seem-"

Sam sighed, reaching up to grab his face and press her lips to his. Miguel's hands flew to her waist and she smiled against him before kissing him once more for good measure. Their lips parted with a smack, and when she leaned back down, she laughed at his dazed expression.

"I'm sure, now can we go?" she asked him, tugging at his arm.

"Uh- yeah, yep," he stammered, nodding his head and trailing behind her as she giggled. They continued down the hall, hand-in-hand, and Sam tried her best to relax, or at least make it seem like she felt that way.

* * *

Sam sat across from Miguel at a table in the school library, where they were currently having study hall. They both sat quietly, their loads of school work sprawled across the table, and Miguel had his nose in his calculus homework, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Sam looked up from writing her notes then, smirking as she pulled out a sheet of paper.

It had been a few weeks since Tory had left her that less-than-thoughtful note in her locker, and Sam had slowly begun to forget about it. At least, she was trying to. But Tory hadn't sent anything her way since, so where a week ago she was struggling to focus on anything else, she could now get through her assignments without Tory's image popping into her head. Sam was finally starting to feel back to normal.

But just because she _could_ get her homework done without getting distracted, didn't mean she _had_ to.

Sam started to fold the blank sheet of paper into an airplane, but decided she wanted to leave a note, too. She quickly scribbled something down and smiled at her finished project, before folding it back up and preparing it for takeoff in Miguel's direction. She gave a quick glance around her, making sure the librarian wasn't around, then tossed it, aiming it right for his face. He flinched when it tapped his forehead, looking up to see Sam grinning and holding back a laugh. Miguel rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he moved to pick it up.

"Open it," she spoke then, and Miguel raised his eyebrows, unfolding the paper airplane.

_u r cute! be my boyfriend? circle "yes"or "no"_  
🐙

He chuckled at her note, especially enjoying her octopus doodle. He grabbed his notebook then, using it to hold against the paper as he circled his response, holding it up close to his face so she couldn't see it until he was done. Sam chuckled at his antics, and he folded the sheet back into an airplane, sending it in her direction. She opened it up to reveal his response, her jaw dropping dramatically once she saw it.

"You circled no?!" she whisper-yelled, and Miguel had to laugh. "Excuse me?"

"'Cause I already am your boyfriend," he refuted. "It wouldn't make sense." Sam rolled her eyes, crumpling the paper into a ball.

"You took the romance out of it," she argued, leaning back into her chair. "I miss the old Miguel." He scoffed.

"Well you were a big fan of _this_ Miguel last night, so..." Sam widened her eyes, kicking him underneath the table.

"Ow!"

"Shut up!" she scolded him quietly, holding back a laugh as he rubbed his shin.

"Just saying." Sam shook her head, tossing the ball of paper at him and aiming for his head, but instead, it landed behind him at the feet of someone familiar. Sam looked up to see it was none other than Tory, who was walking past a bookshelf behind them right when Sam had thrown the paper. Her cheerful expression immediately faded, and Miguel turned around to see what had caught her attention.

Tory smirked at the two, leaning down to pick up the ball of paper at her feet. She unraveled it, tilting her head at their note.

"Aw, how cute," she cooed sarcastically, approaching their table to drop it back to them. She looked to Sam then.

"Passing notes in study hall, huh?" she asked, and Sam simply glared at her. Tory bent a little closer to her then, and Miguel leaned forward in his chair.

"I hope you got mine," she whispered tauntingly with a smirk. Before Sam could reply, she turned and walked away from them, heading out of the library.

"What did she say?" Miguel asked Sam after she left, his eyebrows narrowed. Sam's gaze was fixated at the door Tory just walked out of, visually more tense than before.

"Sam?" he repeated, and she merely shook her head.

"Nothing."

"She said something," he stated, moving as if he was about to get up. "She needs to stop messing with you. I'm gonna talk to her-"

"No!" she said a little loudly, earning them looks from the people around them. He furrowed his eyebrows at her, and she glanced around the room, embarrassed. Then, quietly, "It doesn't matter. Who cares what she has to say, anyway? Just leave it." Sam picked up her pencil, resuming to write her notes, but Miguel continued to look at her with concern. He recognized her behavior from a few weeks ago, realizing that Tory must've been the reason why she was so on edge before. But why hadn't she told him about it?

"Sam-"

The bell rung then, signaling the end of the period, and Sam stood up, hastily collecting her materials.

"I gotta go, I have a test in history," she told him, avoiding his gaze. "I'll see you later." She quickly leaned down to where he was sitting, pecking his lips before heading out of the library. Miguel remained in his seat for a moment, slightly taken aback. He knew whatever Tory said bothered her, and he hated how much of an effect she had on her. Though he was aware of their rivalry, she hadn't expressed to him the extent of it, and whenever he asked about it, she'd give him short answers before changing the subject. He hadn't really questioned it, thinking it was just something she felt uncomfortable talking about, and rightfully so. But now he knew it was deeper than that, that whatever Tory did really affected Sam.

He wouldn't pry it out of her. She'd tell him when she was ready. But for now, he'd make sure to be there for her.

* * *

It was a Friday night, and Sam's parents had allowed her to have Miguel over to watch a movie. And with her parents having a date night and her brother Anthony at a sleepover, it was pretty ideal for the two.

They stood in the kitchen, waiting on their popcorn in the microwave. Sam was by the stove, stirring some hot chocolate she had set in a small pot, while Miguel watched her curiously from across the kitchen counter. It had only been a few days since the ordeal with Tory at the library, and they had yet to talk about it. He'd tried bringing it up a couple of times, but she'd just brush it aside, becoming closed off. It saddened him how she'd shut him out, he only wanted to help her. But he knew better than to pester her about it.

He walked over to where she stood by the stove, hugging her waist from behind and pressing a tender kiss to her shoulder. Sam smiled, bringing a hand up to hold his cheek as she turned to peck his lips.

"Hello there," she greeted him playfully, and he hummed in response.

"It smells good," he told her, nodding towards the pot.

"Yeah?" she responded. "Shoutout to-" she turned the empty box of cocoa mix towards her to read the label, "-Swiss Miss hot chocolate, then." He chuckled at her joke as Sam gave the pot one last stir before shutting the stove off, then moved to take out two mugs from the cupboard. When she set the pot down after pouring the drinks into their cups, Miguel gently tugged at her shirt.

"Hey," he started, his back against the counter, and she turned to face him. She watched as he opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, as if debating if he should continue with what he wanted to say. After a moment, he sighed.

"You know I'm here for you, right?" he asked her then, and she raised her eyebrows. He continued, "And I'm always going to be on your side. You know that." Her expression fell as she realized what he was referring to, and the worried look on his face made her feel a little guilty. Still, she was hesitant, but wanted to make him feel at ease, so she stepped forward, bringing her arms up and around his neck, a faint smile on her lips as he held her waist.

"I know," she responded simply. He gazed at her longingly, concern written over his face, and she watched as his eyes flicked between her own, searching them. She shifted her gaze to his lips instead, before reaching up to meet them. She kissed him slowly, then fell back onto the heels of her feet once she felt him relax against her, a cheeky grin on her face.

"C'mon, the cocoa is gonna get cold," she said then, taking their mugs to the living room. He followed suit with the popcorn bowl in his hands, setting it down on the coffee table before plopping onto the sofa.

"It's my turn to pick," she said, hugging the remote to her.

"No, we saw _To All The Boys_ last week. It's my turn."

"That was your pick, actually."

"No it wasn't-" he stopped when she gave him a look, and he remembered, "-oh yeah. I did pick that, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did. Don't try to play the cool guy, now. I know all your secrets, Miguel."

"You know too much, actually." He covered her head with the throw blanket. "I'm going to have to kill you. It's too risky with you knowing." She laughed, squirming in his embrace as she tried to get out from underneath the blanket, shoving him once she was free.

Sam grew up watching her fair share of action movies with her dad, and she developed a love for them. But she had a soft spot in her heart for romcoms, and Miguel had seen countless romantic movies because of that. He didn't mind, though, because he actually had a not-so-secret soft spot for them, too.

She queued up _13 Going On 30,_ then leaned back into the couch with him, curling up into his side. He laid out the throw blanket over them before wrapping an arm around her shoulder, and she placed the bowl of popcorn in her lap to share. They ate and sipped on their cocoa as the movie played, but about halfway in, they started feeling tired, yawning consistently until they eventually drifted to sleep.

_Suddenly, the door flew open, banging against the wall, and Sam jolted awake. She looked towards the door and gasped when she saw who the visitor was._

_"Miss me, princess?" Tory spoke. Sam felt her heart drop to her stomach, glancing to her side only to see Miguel wasn't beside her anymore._

_"He's not here to protect you this time," Tory told her as she tauntingly approached her. "It's just you and me." Sam's pulse quickened along with her breathing, and she started backing into the corner of the couch. Tory laughed._

_"What? You're not gonna put up a fight? That's no fun." She kicked the lamp off the table by the sofa, and it shattered across the wooden floor. Sam flinched at the noise, backing away even more as Tory made her way towards her._

_"Last chance," she warned her. "You're not even gonna say anything?" Sam could only watch her with her mouth open as she tried to find her voice, but it was as if her vocal cords had been ripped out from throat, preventing her from vocalizing any sort of response. In fact, she felt her throat run dry, and suddenly her limbs went numb, and she couldn't even move if she wanted to, despite how much her internal was screaming at her to get out of harm's way._

_"That's alright," Tory stated, pulling out her band of spikes and wrapping them around her knuckles. Sam inhaled a sharp breath at the sight of them, and Tory smirked, reaching in front of her._

_"You're better off with your mouth shut, anyway." She swung her knuckles across Sam's arm then, and it felt like lightning bolts against her skin, until everything was numb._   
  


Sam awoke with a fright, jolting to a sitting position and gasping for air. Her hand flew up to tightly grip the spot on her arm where her scars lay, feeling like they had just been ripped open. Miguel stirred awake then, too, and it only took him a moment to realize the state his girlfriend was in.

"Hey, hey," he whispered, sitting upright to grip her shoulder. "What happened?"

Sam turned to meet his gaze, her eyes wide in fear and her breathing uneven.

"I- I don't know," she stammered, clutching her arm and glancing at the front door, "she was... she was here..." She glanced towards the floor then, confusion fogging her mind when she didn't see the shattered lamp. Miguel followed her gaze, then realized she had a nightmare. About _her_.

He felt his heart sink, aching at the thought of her in fear. Tears started to well in her eyes as her breaths continued to come out shaky, and Miguel turned her to face him.

"Hey, look at me," he told her softly, leaning down to look into her eyes. "She's not here. She's not going to hurt you. You're good. Okay? Come here." She watched him intensely before he pulled her into his side, and she tried to catch her breath as she realized none of it was real. He stroked her hair soothingly as she let herself fall against him completely, and after a while her breathing slowed, returning to normal. He was patient, continuing to comfort her until she decided to sit up, facing him but not meeting his gaze. He reached a hand up to wipe her tearstained cheeks, and she wondered when they had fallen.

"Let me get you some water," he said then, standing up to head to the kitchen. She watched him as he did so, feeling her heart fill up at the sight. He handed her the glass as he sat back down, and she took a few sips before handing it back to him to place it on the coffee table. He watched her hesitatingly, wanting to ask her questions but afraid of prying. Her gaze was fixed on her fiddling hands in her lap, and he took one of her hands in his own, intertwining their fingers together. She bit her bottom lip nervously, keeping her gaze on their hands. After a few moments, she finally spoke.

"Tory left me a note in my locker a few weeks ago," she stated. Miguel furrowed his eyebrows.

"What did it say?"

"'Watch your back,'" she whispered. Miguel clenched his jaw but squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"Ever since the school fight, I've been having trouble getting her out of my head. And the note just reinforced that," she admitted.

"Is that what she was talking about at the library?" She nodded, and Miguel frowned.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her.

"I was embarrassed," she responded after a moment. "I hate how she has this effect on me. She has me on edge 24/7, and I didn't want to admit that to her, or anyone, or even myself."

"Whenever she's around, it's like I lose myself, or something. I couldn't even move when they attacked Demetri and broke his arm. I just hid and watched, and it broke my heart. It's like she has complete control over me. I can't even fight against her in my own damn nightmare." Her voice broke as she admitted to him the thoughts that had been occupying her mind for so long, unable to meet his gaze as her vision began to blur with tears again. Miguel sighed sadly, giving her hand another squeeze.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he started. "But you have to know that sharing this stuff is the only way you can start to get over them. There's nothing embarrassing about what you're feeling. It's important to me. I get why you might've been hesitant, but I only ever want you to feel safe, especially around me.

"Honestly, I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit. I watched you fight at the school, Sam. You threw her off of you. You're stronger than you know, okay? You're actually one of the strongest people I've ever met. I mean, you literally flipped me onto the ground on our first date." Sam chuckled as she remembered. 

"That was different."

"You still did, though! And I thought _I_ was doing something trying to show you _my_ moves." Sam laughed. 

"You're a badass, Sam. Seriously. Don't forget that." 

"I thought that was a Cobra Kai thing."

"Well, you've proven them wrong. You're capable of way more than you think, okay? And even if Tory were to show up, right here, right now, you'd be more than able to take care of it. I promise. You're smart, and driven, and strong. You just can't lose sight of that." Sam smiled at him.

"Really?"

"Definitely, are you kidding?" he looked at her incredulously, and she grinned. "And not that you'd need me, but I'll always be by your side, too, fighting for you. You don't need to go through this alone." 

If her heart could glow, it would be doing so right now. She felt the biggest weight release from her shoulders after opening up to him, and his support for her was almost overwhelming. She couldn't believe she'd tried dealing with this on her own, when he'd been here all along. And she knew then that he always would be- ready to pull her back to the surface when she was sinking. Her anchor.

She reached forward to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug, feeling his own wrap around her back immediately after. She sighed across his shoulder, finally feeling relief for the first time in so long.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Anytime."


End file.
